Method of and apparatus for berthing airships



April 12, 1932. w. v. N. PQWELSON ET AL METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FORBERTHING AIRSHIPS '3 Sheets-Sheet Origina l Filed Sept. 21, 1921 FTP n/M3 2 5 W 2: i 3Na 5. j r a 1 .1; W 7

April l2, 1932. w. v'. N POWELSON ET AL 1,853,777

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR BERTHING AIRSHIPS Original Filed Sept. 21,1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 12, 1932- w. v. N. POWELSON ET AL 1,353,777

METHOD OF ANlj APPARATUS FOR BERTHING AIRSHIPS Original Filed Sept. 21,1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jiiu 6 77527711 wifiza'd TIMI-awaken U a 2 2' an.Tmveii alto 7 716.25

Patented Apr. 12, 1932 UHTED STATES TEN oFFi-cs WILFRID V. N. POWELSONOF NEW YORK, N. Y., AND WARREN TRAVELL, OF SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIAMETHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR BERTHING AIRSI-IIPS Original applicationfiled September 21, 1921, Seria1 No. 502,127. Divided and thisapplicationfiled 7 March 17, 1931 Serial No. 523,251

This invention relates to methods of and apparatus for berthingairships. More par-V ticularly, it relates to a system by which anairship approaching a. station from any direction may expeditiously bemade fast to fixed masts, and, when moored, have been free to move atthe level of the mast head with the wind. This has involved seriousdisadvantages, because iixed mooring towers lack the flexibility whichis so desirable for the mooring and berthing of large airships, becauseit has been impossible to remove air ships to hangers without firstreleasing them from the masts and pulling themto earth, and'because atmast-head levels airships are frequently subjected to wind stresses ofgreater magnitude than at the ground level. It is an object of thisinvention to eliminate these and other disadvantages.

Briefly stated, the present invention provides for themooring ofairships between two towers, at least one of which may be movable. Itfurtherprovides for lowering the airship, under control, by mechanismand tackle by a. burtoning method. Conveniently, housing equipment maybe located near or even between the towers, and, if not so positionedupon arrival, the tower or towers may conduct the airship to the housinglocation. i

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, which are more orless diagrammatical,

Figure 1 is a plan showing two mooring towers on a track encircling ashelter pit, spacer cars being employed to maintain the towersdiametrically opposed;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same, the pitbeing shown in medialsection Figure 3 is a cross-section on the line 3-3 of Figure l; r

Figure 4 is a side elevation on a. larger scale of a spacer car;

Figure 5 is a plan showing a circular shelter pit with revolving roof, amooring tower at itscenter, another mooring tower mova ble on a trackencircling the pit, and an openin g th rough the roof for the entranceand exit of airships;

Figure 6 is an elevation corresponding to Figure 5, the pit and its roofbeing shown in section on line 66 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a plan showing several shelter pits located radially about acentral mooring tower with a'second mooring tower movable on a trackencircling these shelter pits; and

. Figure 8 is an elevation in medial section corresponding to Figure 7.V

Figure 9 is a side elevation of tower moving means; and V Figure 10 isan end elevation of the same.

In the drawings, Figures 1, 2 and 3 show a shelter pit 72 conforming ingeneral in its horizontal cross-sections to the horizontalcross-sections of airship 1, with space allowed for clearance andworkman between sides and bottom of shelter pit and the airship. Aroundthis shelter pit there may be a horizontal circular track 100 on whichare movable two towers 9. A number of spacing cars 106, acting as strutsand ties between towers, may be used for maintaining the mooring towers9 in diametrical relation at opposite ends of any diameter of the circleon which they travel.

A. roof 101 over the shelter pit is movable transversely, as regards theshelter pit, on tracks 105. As represented in Figures 1 and 8 this is intwo sections which. meet over the middle of the pit, comprising trussbeams running on wheels 102 and having extensions 103 to the rear tocounterbalancing weights 104, so that on a cantilever principle eachroof section covers half of the span with the projecting partoverbalanced by the weight.

In operation, the airship l approaches and is made fast to One of thetowers 9, this being accomplished by any of the well known methods ofmooring the airship. The tower may be prevented from tipping over understress by having a track 471 made with flange facing downward, andproviding wheels 470 engaged under it as shown in Figures 9 and 10, orother suitable means may be used. The towers 9 are then moved about thetrack 100, means being provided for effecting such motion, until theairship, tethered to one tower and lying in the direction of the wind,also lies between the two towers. The free end of the ship is thenmoored to the second tower. The motor which moves the'tower on its trackmay be of any suitable type, an example of one such, with associatedmechanism, being seen in Figures 9 and 10, where the motor 4.63,operating through gearing 180 in the base portion of the tower 9 driveswheels 481, resting on tracks 100.

The airship 1 may, if desired, be allowed to remain moored to the towers9, but usually it will be found preferable to move the towers 9 aroundthe circle 100 until the airship 1 overlies the shelter pit 72. Vfhenthis has been done, the airship may be lowered into the shelter pit andcovered by the roof 101. W hile in the shelter pit, the airship isprotected from the weather, and, at the same time, use of the towers 9for the mooring of still another airship is possible.

Figures 5 and 6 show an annular shelter pit 153 having a radius greaterthan the length of airship 1 to be housed. A large circular roof coverstl is shelter pit, this root being supported on a central pier 152 andon circular track 142 extending around the pit and concentric therewith.A mooring tower 150 at the center of the shelter pit is attached to theroof and revolves therewith. A sec ond mooring tower 9 is movable on thecircular track 100.

In operation, an airship is brought up headon to the wind to the centralmooring tower 150 and attached thereto, after which the tail tower 9 ismoved around to the leeward of the airship and the connection 80 is madetherewith. An opening 1 10 is provided in the large circular root withmovable covering 141 over this opening, which covering may be moved backto the dotted line position, thus permitting a clear opening through theroof for the vertical entrance and exit of airships at any part of thecircular pit. A pit of this description may be used for the housing of alarge number of airships, with only a single pair of mooring towers.

Figures 7 and 8 show a rigid tower T1 at the center of a track 73 laidin a large circle, having a radius greater than the length of theairship 1 to be moored. On this circular track there is movable a secondmooring tower 9. There are a number of shelter pits 7 2 built alongradial lines within said circular track 73. These are provided withmovable roofs 23. Flexible connections 80 fasten the airship between thetowers 71 and 9. A. second set of ropes 81 lead from the head and tailends of the airship to control means 34 located at the bottom of theshelter pit.

VVith the airship moored between the towers, the procedure is to movethe towers until the airship either overlies the desired shelter pit oris in a position to be moved into an adjacent hangar. By then paying outropes 80 and hauling in ropes 81,-a safe means is provided for thelowering of the airship from its moored position to the level of thetowers to its berthed position Within the shelter pit. Burtoning theship in this way has the great advantage that, as to the exact positionof its two ends, the ship is at all times under control of mechanismhaving abundant strength, notwithstanding its continued buoyancy, and inspite of winds or owing to unequal distribution of weights and buoyantunits on board.

Obviously, modifications may be made without departing from theinventive thought. Thus it is possible to employ in place of the shelterpit a shelter shed on the grounds surface, opening at its upper portionin such manner as to admit the airship from above. Also, the tracks maybe dispensed with and towers otherwise mounted so as to be propelledaround a suitable circular or other path, for example, on suitablecaterpillar treads or their equivalent. Other changes may also be made,as, for example, using masts of other kinds in place of those shown,and, if desired, using in the arrangement of Figure 1 spacing cars tocomplete a half circle, rather than enough to fill the entire track.

In the claims, the term tower is used inclusively with the object ofdescribing in broad language any form of upstanding mast, tower or likedevice which may be employed in the practice of the invention.

The subject matter of this application constitutes a division of ourcopending application 502,127, filed September 21, 1921, for means formooring and housing airships. It is intended that the patent to maturefrom the present application shall cover, by suitable expression in theappended claims, whatever teatures of patentable novelty reside in theseveral species of the invention herein disclosed.

We claim:

1. In equipment for housing airships, the combination of a housingchamber; a roof, movable so as to open and to close the chamber; meansapplicable for controlling the descent of an airship into and its ascentfrom said chamber and two mooring towers, one at each end of thechamber.

2. In equipment for housing airships, the combination of a housingberth; means, movable so as to open and to close the berth; meansapplicable for. controlling the entriy of an airship into and its sortiefrom said berth; and two mooringtowers, one at each end of the berth.

3. In equipment for housing airships, the combination of a housingchamber; a roof, movable so as to open and to close the chamber; meansapplicable for controlling the descent of an airship into and its ascentfrom the chamber; a mooring tower at one end'of the chamber; ahorizontal, circular track having said tower as acenter and having aradius greater than the length of the pit; and a second mooring towerfor the same airship movable on he circular track, with power means formoving it thereon.

4. In equipment for housing airships, the combination oi a shelter pitotsuitable size to house an airship; a roof, and ways on which-the roofmay be moved so as to open and close the pit;means for moving the roofalong said ways; a mooring tower; a track encircling the pit; a secondmooring tower movable along said circular track; said two towers beingadapted for mooring the same airship.

5. In equipment for housing airships, the

combination of a mooring tower; a horizontal, circular track having saidtower as its center and a radius greater than the length of the airshipsto be housed a second mooring tower, movable around the circular track;power means applicable thereto for producing such movement; and tacklefor fastening an airship between said mooring towers.

6. In equipment for housing airships, thev combination ofa shelter pit;a movable roof and fixed ways whereon it may be moved so as to cover anduncover the pit; a circular track around said pit; a head tower movableon said track, power means applicable thereto for producing suchmovement, and tackle for fastening an airship to said head tower; a tailtower, also movable on the circular track, with power means applicablethereto for producing such movement and tackle for tastening an airshipto said tail tower; and ropes with power means applicable thereto forcontrolling the descent of an airship into the pit and its ascentthence; all of which equipment is so co-ordinated that an airship may bekept tied and under constant control during the operations of cominginto and setting forth from the shelter pit.

7 In equipment for housing airships, the combination of an enclosedhousing space whose top may be opened to permit the passage of andclosed for the protection of an airship; two mooring towers, one at eachend of the enclosure; means for fastening the fore and aft ends of anairship between the two towers and over the enclosure; and tackle withpower means applicable thereto for controlling its passage into and outof the enclosure.

8. In equipment for housing airships, the

combination of a circular shelter pit having a radius greater than thelengths of the ships to be housed and a depth greater than the height ofsuch ships; a horizontal, circular track around said pit and concentricwith it a fixed roof support at the center of the pit; a revolving rootcovering the pit and carried on the central support and a circulartrack; an opening in said roof to permit the entrance and exit of anairship, said opening having its longitudinal axis along aradius of the011- cular roof; means for closing said opening; a mooring tower at thecenter of the roof; a second mooring tower located over the circulartrack, at the opposite end of the roof openingfrom the central tower;means for revolving vsaid roof and one of said towers together; andmeans for'controlling the descent of an airship into and the ascent ofsame from the shelter pit.

9. In equipment for housing lighter-thaw air craft, the combination of amooring tower; a curved, horizontal way encircling said tower as acenter; a second mooring tower, movable on said way, these two beingadapted to holding the opposite ends of a lighter-thansair crat't and ahangar for the craft located within the space enclosed by said way. 1

. 10. In equipment for housing lighter-thanair craft, the combination ofa curved, herizontal way enclosing a ground area; two mooring towers, atleast one being movable on said way and both being adapted to hold theopposite ends of a lighter-than-air craft; and a hangar within the areaenclosed by said way. i

11. In equipment for mooring lighterthan-air craft, the combination witha curved, horizontal way encircling a fixed center of two towers, one ofwhich is at the fixed center and the other of which is movable on theway, said towers being adapted to cooperate in the mooring oflighter-than-air craft,

12. In equipment for mooring lighterthan-air craft, the combination of acurved, horizontal way and independently supported two towers, at leastone 01": which is movable on said way and both of which are adapted andso positioned relatively to each other as to cooperate in the mooring oflighter-thanair craft, the base of one being at a distance from the baseof the other. 7

13. In equipment for handling aircraft, the combination comprising anupstanding tower having in its upper portion means for attachment oflighter-than-air craft, and in its lower portion a mobile groundconnection, the said elements being organized as a mobile mooring unit,and arranged with free space about the mooring in all horizontaldirections for endwise approach of an airship.

14. In equipment for handling aircraft, the combination comprising astructure upstanding, solitary, .on a vertical axis, to a heightadapting it for :the mooring 10f -lighter-1than- Eli.

too

air craft; equipment thereon to facilitate the mooring; and a basalsupport, movable over the ground from place to place, 011 which themooring is carried and is secured.

15. In equipment for handling lighterthan-air craft the combination of atower having a ground base and an elevated mooring for craft in airabove the ground, with a tractive connection of the tower to the ground,and a motor in said connection whereby the tower may move its mooredcraft from place to place over the ground.

16. In equipment for mooring lighterthan-air craft, a tractor towercomprising the combination of a tower; mooring means for the craft tothe tower; means whereby the tower is mobile over the ground, whilestanding upright with craft moored to it; and power means for thusmoving it.

17. In equipment for mooring and housing airships, the combination of aplurality of mooring towers adapted for the mooring of an airshipbetween-them; a berth for an airship; and means for lowering an airshipto a position within said berth and for elevating it therefrom whilesaid airship is moored to said towers.

18. In equipment for mooring airships; the combination of a horizontaltrack comprising a circle having a diameter greater than the length ofthe airship to be moored; two mooring towers separate from each otherand movable on said track; power means applicable for producing suchmovement; a structural frame, movable around the circular track,connecting the two towers and maintaining them diametrically oppositeeach other at all positions around the circle; and elevated mooringmeans located on each tower; whereby the equipment is adapted to hold anairship between said towers over any diameter of the circle.

19. In equipment for mooring airships, the combination of a mooringtower; a horizontal, circular track having the said tower as its centerand a radius greater than the lengths of the airships to be moored; asecond mooring tower, movable by power around the circular track; meanson each tower adapted for holding an airship; and power means forcontrolling said means.

20. Means for launching and landing moored airships comprising twomooring towers set at a distance apart sufficient for the ship to riseand fall between them, with its axis toward them; ropes, one extendingfrom the top of each tower to the nearby end of ship and one extendingthence to the base of the same tower, thereby holding each ship end atan elevation determined by its ropes; and means at each end of the shipfor paying out the one and for simultaneously taking in the other ropeat that end, coincidently with the like action at the other end of theship, whereby the ship can be maintained approximately horizontalwhilebeing launched or landed.

21. In equipment for housing airships, the combination of ahousingchamber and means to cover and uncover said chamber; a horizontal trackencircling said chamber; two towers, one movable thereon and havingpower means for controlling its movements on the track and means wherebysaid airship may be held suspended between the two towers, and,meanwhile, be brought to a position over said chamber, whence it may belowered into said chamber under control.

22. In equipment for housing airships, the combination of a housingchamber and means to cover and uncover said chamber two mooring towers,one at each side of said chamber; two connecting devices on said towers,one on each tower; tackle for fastening an airship between the twoconnecting devices; whereby said airship may be held suspended betweenthe two towers, and while thus suspended may be broughtto a positionover said chamber and be lowered into said chamber under control.

23. In equipment for mooring, controlling, and housing airships at astation, the combination of two mooring towers adapted for the mooringof an airship between them; a housing structure for an airship; andpower means for lowering said airship to a position within said housingstructure and for elevating it therefrom while said airship is mooredbetween said towers.

24. In equipment for mooring and controlling airships, the'combinationof two independent mooring towers; first flexible connections between anairship and towers, attached to the towers toward the top thereof;second flexible connections to said airship, having their respectivepoints of attachment close to said towers; and mechanical means forhauling in and paying out said flexible connections independently ofeach other; whereby said airship may be moored to said towers, and,while thus moored, may be raised and lowered and its pitch determinedunder mechanical control.

Signed at San Bernardino, California, this eleventh day of November,1930.

WILFRID V. N. POVVELSON. IVARREN TRAVELL.

